7 Easy Ways to Deal With Anxiety Attacks

According to a study carried out by the University of Adelaide in Australia, people who suffer from a panic disorder are 47% more likely to develop heart disease as they grow older.

So, how do you deal with an anxiety disorder so that you can avoid getting a heart disease later in life? What are some of the ways to deal with anxiety attacks? What are some of the strategies you can use to deal with anxiety attacks without medication? And what are some ways to deal with anxiety attacks naturally and spiritually?

In this article, I show you how to deal with anxiety attacks so that they cannot affect your heart adversely.

Now, what should you do?

1.    Refocus On Something Else

An anxiety attack will make you feel as though something terrible is happening, or is about to happen, when actually everything around you is very normal—you will feel as though you are trapped in darkness in your mind with no way to get out of the darkness in your mind.

Furthermore, when you suffer an anxiety attack, your body’s “get ready to fight or get ready to fly” response is activated. This causes you to take shallow breaths and also the muscles of your body tenses up.

Therefore, the first thing you must do when you have an anxiety attack is to try to connect with reality so that you can break the perceived threatening situation going on in your mind.

Here are a few ways of reconnecting with reality so that you will find it easier dealing with panic attacks and anxiety:

1. Scan your body quickly and try to notice the feelings that are going on in your body. For example, if you have an anxiety attack whilst in the office, you may think to yourself in such a manner, “At this moment I am terribly worried that I may be involved in an accident as I drive home today.   My heart is beating faster than normal. That is unusual. And, oh, I feel so nervous,” or if you have an anxiety attack whilst in school, you may think something such as this to yourself, “I feel very afraid at this particular moment. My palms are sweaty. I am shaking. And I am breathing very quickly.” Acknowledging what is happening in your body and how you are feeling and focusing on them will help you to separate what is going on in your mind from what is actually happening in your body.
2. Look around you for one minute and settle your gaze on one encouraging or calming thing that is happening around you. For example, if you are on a field where boys are playing soccer, look around the field, look at the trees, turn your gaze to the sky for a moment, look at people walking around, and then settle your gaze on birds singing in a nearby tree. Then, look at the birds with keenness.
3. Listen to all the noise that is being produced around you. Try not to think and concentrate 100% on the noise in your environment. It will help you to break your train of thoughts so that you can feel you are living in that particular moment.

2.    Take Deep, Slow Breaths

When a man or a woman is having an anxiety attack, that person takes quick, shallow breaths because the sympathetic nervous system (SNS) of the person perceives that the man or woman is under some sort of attack and so stimulates the heart to beat quickly. Additionally, the SNS causes  blood vessels to  constrict, which causes muscle tension and shallow breathing.

However, when you breathe deeply from your diaphragm, signals are sent to your brain to release chemicals which can help you to calm down, thereby helping you in dealing with anxiety attacks.

So, when you feel very anxious and you start breathing shallowly

• put your left hand on your chest and put your right hand under your ribs;
• take in a deep breath and slowly count up to 5;
• then, release your breath slowly and count up to 8;
• inhale again and slowly count up to 5;
• repeat the cycle.
• Ensure that you breathe out longer than you breathe in. This will send a message to your brain that there is no need to worry because you are not under any threat. That will help to prevent your adrenal gland from preparing your body for the “prepare to fight or prepare to fly” mode,         and as a result you can calm down.

3.    Relax The Muscles Of Your Body

• Tense and relax the muscle of your face (frown and then open your eyes wide as though you are surprised at something).
• Then, tense and relax the muscle of your eyes (squeeze them and open them).
• Then, tense and relax the muscles of your ears, mouth, neck, arms, chest, abdomen, buttocks, thighs, calves, and your feet.
• Contract and relax the muscles of each area for 6 seconds.
• As you relax each part of your body, concentrate on the fact that you are relaxing muscles and enjoy the feeling of relaxation.

This exercise will help to clear your mind so that fearful thoughts and terrible worries cannot take over your mind and make you feel tense.

Additionally, it will help to release tension throughout your body so that you will feel relaxed, which will help you to think clearly so that you will feel capable of handling any challenges that you may be facing.

4.    Touch Yourself

Touch the skin of your face, ears, neck, hands, or your legs. Afterwards, close your eyes and focus your whole mind on the touch. Enjoy the touch and feel the warmth of your body.

This exercise will help you to reconnect with the reality of your present situation, instead of the imaginary situation being played out in your mind.

Furthermore, stroke the part of your body that you focus on gently but firmly so that you can create awareness of the fact that you are here now and not somewhere else.

Alternatively, stroke or tickle an area of your body that will give you pleasure, such as your lips, nipples, the inner part of your thighs, or the area under your feet. It will send pleasurable sensations throughout your body and that will induce positive feelings in you, which will make it easier to think positive thoughts to help you get rid of the negative thoughts in your mind.

5.    Engage In Positive Self-Talk

When you get to the point where you are very aware of reality, start talking to yourself positively. You may say something such as, “Isaac Nunoofio, nothing bad has happened. No bad thing is going to happen. You are okay. Everything is fine. Relax for the worst is over. Smile for there is a lot to enjoy about this moment.”

Then, walk to your mirror, if you are at home, or get a small mirror and look into it. Smile at your reflection so that you can send a message to your brain that all is well. Additionally, as you look at yourself in the mirror, try to breathe in deeply, and exhale slowly.

6.    Read Isaiah 41 V 10

The Bible says in Isaiah 41 v 10 that, “fear not, for I am with you, be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand.”

Read these words repeatedly until you are able to focus on them. Then, do your best to focus on the words and let them sink into your soul.

Then, close your eyes and imagine God standing in front of you, holding your hand, and saying those words with a look of love and concern on His face. It will make you feel that God is close to you and that He is concerned about whatever problem led to the anxiety attack in the first place.

Consequently, you will find it easier to feel calm inside because you will feel that God is in control of the situation and He will help you.

7.    Pray

The Bible says in Philippians 4 v 6 that, “Have no anxiety about anything, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God.”

So, you may pray a prayer such as this one, “Dear God, Heavenly Father, please be merciful to me a sinner. LORD, I give You the glory and honor for keeping, protecting, delivering, and providing for me. Glory be to Your Holy Name. I thank You for Your mercies and Your salvation. LORD, God of peace, God who gives enduring peace, please help me to calm the storm going on in my heart and mind. Father, please help me to feel relaxed. I cast all my burdens upon You. I lay all my burdens down at Your feet. Please sustain me and help me to deal with anxiety attacks. Amen.” This prayer will help you to deal with anxiety attacks just as it helped this woman too.

Conclusion

This is how to deal with anxiety attacks: refocus your attention on reality when the attack starts, breathe in deeply and exhale slowly, tense and relax the muscles of your body, touch your skin, say positive things to yourself, read Isaiah 41 v 10 and pray for deliverance.

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